1953 Bowman Color Bob Feller #114

[ALR-bishop]

Agree with Steve that the Bowman 53 set is appreciated today more than in 53. They went all out after the success of the Topps 52 set but still came up a costly second in the market. But I love the set, and as a Cardinals fan it has my favorite Musial.

The Dean Hanley book, Bubble Gum War, The Great Bowman & Topps sets From 1948 to 1955, is a good read on the Topps/Bowman competition for the market, including the 53 sets

[Seven]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Agree with Steve that the Bowman 53 set is appreciated today more than in 53. They went all out after the success of the Topps 52 set but still came up a costly second in the market. But I love the set, and as a Cardinals fan it has my favorite Musial.

The Dean Hanley book, Bubble Gum War, The Great Bowman & Topps sets From 1948 to 1955, is a good read on the Topps/Bowman competition for the market, including the 53 sets

Bowman made some beautiful sets. Even the 55 is starting to grow on me, after not liking the "TV set" theme for a long time. I think I just have some lingering bitter feelings that we didn't get a Mantle in that beautiful 55 Topps style because of his exclusive rights to bowman that year

[ALR-bishop]

Another great last gasp effort to find a winning formula....players in a color TV. I like the set, except for all the umpires, but it too was a bust. In 1955 very few U.S. households had a color TV

[Volod]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Another great last gasp effort to find a winning formula....players in a color TV. I like the set, except for all the umpires, but it too was a bust. In 1955 very few U.S. households had a color TV

Yeah, my penny-pinching old man kept the family watching a grainy black and white 20-inch Philco all through the 1950's. I recall my mother writing after I had joined the service that he finally splurged (maybe a hundred bucks) on a huge color set in 1962. But, I also recall completely losing interest in card collecting at about the time the '55 Bowman set hit the store shelves. The color TV angle was way too cheesy for my tastes even then.